Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity
Item 5 . Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
BPG’s common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “BRX.” As of February 1, 2024, the number of holders of record of BPG’s common stock was 624. This figure does not represent the actual number of beneficial owners of BPG’s common stock because shares of BPG’s common stock are frequently held in “street name” by securities dealers and others for the benefit of beneficial owners who may vote the shares.
BPG has elected to qualify as a REIT in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). To qualify as a REIT, BPG must meet several organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement that it annually distribute to its stockholders at least 90% of its REIT taxable income, determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid and excluding net capital gains. Management intends to continue to satisfy these requirements and maintain BPG’s REIT status. As a REIT, BPG generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax, provided that distributions to its stockholders equal at least the amount of its REIT taxable income as defined under the Code.
BPG’s future distributions will be at the sole discretion of BPG’s board of directors. When determining the amount of future distributions, we expect that BPG’s board of directors will consider, among other factors; (1) the amount of cash generated from our operating activities; (2) the amount of cash required for leasing and maintenance capital expenditures; (3) the amount of cash required for debt repayments, reinvestment activity, net acquisitions, and share repurchases; (4) the amount of cash required to be distributed to maintain BPG’s status as a REIT and to reduce any income and excise taxes that BPG otherwise would be required to pay; (5) any limitations on our distributions contained in our financing agreements, including, without limitation, in our Unsecured Credit Facility; (6) the sufficiency of legally-available assets; and (7) our ability to continue to access external sources of capital.
To the extent BPG is prevented, by provisions in our financing agreements or otherwise, from distributing 100% of BPG’s REIT taxable income, or otherwise does not distribute 100% of BPG’s REIT taxable income, BPG will be subject to income tax, and potentially excise tax, on the retained amounts. If our operations do not generate sufficient cash flow to allow BPG to satisfy the REIT distribution requirements, we may be required to fund distributions with working capital, additional indebtedness, or asset sales, or we may be required to reduce such distributions or make such distributions, in whole or in part, payable in shares of BPG’s stock. See Item 1A. “Risk Factors” for information regarding risk factors that could adversely affect our financial condition, operating results, and cash flows.
Distributions to the extent of the Company’s current and accumulated earnings and profits for federal income tax purposes will be taxable to stockholders as ordinary dividend income or capital gain income. Distributions in excess of taxable earnings and profits generally will be treated as non-taxable return of capital. Non-taxable return of capital distributions, to the extent that they do not exceed the stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in its common shares, have the effect of deferring taxation until the sale of the stockholder’s common shares. To the extent that distributions are both in excess of taxable earnings and profits and in excess of the stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in its common shares, the distributions will be treated as capital gains from the sale of common shares. For the taxable year ended December 31, 2023, 100.0% of the Company’s distributions to stockholders constituted taxable ordinary income. For the taxable year ended December 31, 2022, 100.0% of the Company’s distributions to stockholders constituted taxable ordinary income.
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BPG’s Total Stockholder Return Performance
The following performance chart compares, for the period from December 31, 2018 through December 31, 2023, the cumulative total return of BPG’s common stock with the cumulative total return of the S&P 500 Index and the FTSE Nareit Equity Shopping Centers Index. All stockholder return performance assumes the reinvestment of dividends. The information in this paragraph and the following performance chart are deemed to be furnished, not filed.
Sales of Unregistered Equity Securities
There were no sales of unregistered equity securities during the year ended December 31, 2023.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
In November 2022, we renewed our share repurchase program (the "Repurchase Program") for up to $400.0 million of our common stock. The Repurchase Program is scheduled to expire on November 1, 2025, unless suspended or extended by our board of directors. The Repurchase Program replaced our prior share repurchase program, which was scheduled to expire on January 9, 2023. During the three months and year ended December 31, 2023, we did not repurchase any shares of common stock. As of December 31, 2023, the Repurchase Program had $400.0 million of available repurchase capacity.
Item 6 . [Reserved]
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